Hockey

Pascal Dupuis' NHL season over due to blood clots

Pascal Dupuis won't return to the Pittsburgh Penguins' lineup this season as a result of blood clots, the team announced through a video message.

Penguins confident veteran forward will play next year

The Penguins' Pascal Dupuis has been ruled out for the balance of the NHL season due to blood clots. Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford is confident the veteran forward, who has been sidelined since November, will return to the lineup for the 2015-16 campaign. (Claus Andersen/Getty Images/File)

Pascal Dupuis won't return to the Pittsburgh Penguins' lineup this season as a result of blood clots, the team announced through a video message.

"Pascal Dupuis wont play for us this season," coach Mike Johnston said in the video. "There's a certain timeline where he cannot have contact.

"And then even when it gets beyond that point where he can have contact, there's going to be a lot of discussion with the doctors."

Dupuis was diagnosed with blood clots in November and was deemed out indefinitely.

General manager Jim Rutherford said Dupuis wasn't going to be cleared to play until June.

"I do feel very confident he'll return to the team next year," Rutherford said.

Dupuis, a 35-year-old native of Laval, Que., has 405 points in 853 NHL regular-season games.